Health Investment Zones Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7496 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7496 To provide for the designation of areas as Health Investment Zones to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes in such areas, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 11, 2026 Mr. Harder of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To provide for the designation of areas as Health Investment Zones to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes in such areas, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Health Investment Zones Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF HEALTH INVESTMENT ZONES. (a) Designation.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, pursuant to applications submitted under subsection (c), designate areas as Health Investment Zones to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes in such areas. (2) Eligibility of area.--To be designated as a Health Investment Zone under this section, an area shall-- (A) be a contiguous geographic area; and (B) have measurable and documented geographic health disparities and poor health outcomes, demonstrated by-- (i) average income below 150 percent of the Federal poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget based on the most recent